Fluid damping structure for hard disk drives and vibration sensitive electronic devices

Abstract

A shock and vibration resistant hard disk drive has a plurality of fluid damping isolation devices disposed between the drive and a supporting frame. The isolation devices are capsules containing either gasses or liquids enclosed in a flexible membrane. Variation of fluid properties such as density, viscosity, and pressure allow for custom tuning of the vibration and shock performance.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to vibration and mechanical shock protection of electronic devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to the fluid damping structures for the protection of hard disk drives and other sensitive electronic devices used in high vibration and shock environments.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]The increasing popularity and computing performance of portable electronic devices such as cell phones, MP3 players, global positioning units, PDAs and portable computers, coupled with the miniaturization and increased storage density of hard disk drives, has migrated demand for the hard disk drive into these portable devices. However, the hard disk drive was never designed to be used in high vibration or high impact and shock environments. Redesigning the hard drives to meet such requirements would increase costs and reduce demand for many portable, cost sensitive applications ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Effectively attenuates shock and vibration forces, reducing peak forces transmitted to the hard disk drive and allowing for customizable tuning of the system to optimize protection along different axes, without altering the shape of the isolation devices post-event, thus enhancing the reliability and cost-effectiveness of the solution.

Problems solved by technology

However, the hard disk drive was never designed to be used in high vibration or high impact and shock environments.

Redesigning the hard drives to meet such requirements would increase costs and reduce demand for many portable, cost sensitive applications such as cell phones and MP3 players.

This is impractical in most potable device applications because users usually do not open their cell phones or MP3 players after they are shocked or dropped, due to the difficulty of opening such miniature devices.

These materials may be expensive to manufacture, increasing the potential cost of the hard drives and reducing the desirability for their use in mass produced portable applications.

Additionally, it is unclear as to whether the disclosed structures are effective for isolating vibration which may be just as destructive to the hard drive if present over prolonged period of time.

However, the area supported by the cushioning devices is limited, which may create compromises between shock protection and vibration isolation.

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